Day 55 - I wasn't tired and they learned a lot.

Students feed off of a teacher's energy.   I am a high energy, always moving around the room type of a teacher.  Guess what? I bringout the hyper in my students!  I'll finally admit it- I teach them to be rowdy.  SO this is a mixed bag though.  It is true in retrospect, all of my classes are sooooo calm in the beginning of the year.  They have been well trained to sit and listen, or pretend like they are listening.  Then they get to my class and I am begging them to get out of their seat, forcing them to meet everyone in the class and talk, talk, talk.  Move, read and talk, move,talk and make-  Listen- now write.   Soon there is not a safe seat oin the house for the gabbers, because they know everyone. Students expect when they get to my class, they are FREE!  Guess what?  Thats what I want for them. I want them to feel free and creative and unafraid and taking risks.
But I still have some ways to go in perfecting this "freedom".  My optimism keeps me in denial about the truth that some kids do not know how to transition or turn on and off, or on and then down.  For me, my way seems to work well with Seniors, but my 11th graders, especially the hormonal 16 year olds-- cannot calm down after I have cracked the seal.  
I have to address my part in this and the truth that they need practice in situational appropriateness. Structure in my class can be where they can get that practice.  Today my 11th graders seats were in rows instead of grouped in fours.  First thing out of one of my hormonal boys was, "I like this, it makes me look straight ahead."  Not what I want him to do, but what he might need to do as he practices focusing on the appropriate behavior for each of our different class activities.
I also was waaaayyy mellow this morning and spoke in a low, slow voice( not like Bueller, Bueller- but soothing).  They were chill.  I did some document analysis modeling , and then we did some together. We had a focused discussion about political bosses and progressives- and sourcing and corroboration.  They took a two minute break, got into groups for political cartoon analysis and small group discussions, and finished off with a constructed response using evidence.
I wasn't tired and they learned a lot.

Day 54 - Slow my roll on Wednesdays.

Wednesdays are short/modified days but they seem to make me the most tired.  Every other day of the week we have block schedule- 3 classes in one day, but there are 2 hours long. It makes for opportunity to go deep with learning and do various activities, solidifying knowledge and reaching different learner types.  I do not lecture usually for more than 10-15 minutes so this schedule works well for me and my students, as I like to move around a lot and I am able to keep them moving around a lot.
But Wednesdays are wham, bam, shazaam! Classes seem to go so fast and yet I still try to deep intense learning.  When will I learn??? Today my first period 11th graders were not ready for an immediate shift into third gear, then fourth gear learning.  Next time I will plan the into and build up of a document analysis lesson on a Wednesday, and the analysis, discussion and writing the next block day.
I was tired by second period today.

A-ha: 
I like games about government more than my students do.

Reminder:
Slow my roll on Wednesdays.

Day 53 - light days

Today I tried to focus on not taking myself to seriously. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my plans for the students and what the lesson is supposed to look like that I forget to enjoy myself.  Don't get my wrong, I am an enjoyer of life.  But I think if some people saw how serious I get in my class sometimes, they wouldn't recognize me. This occurs mostly when I am dealing with a class that is acting low skilled in the behavior and self control areas. So today, I just tried to stay light and it changed my perception of the students and my reactions. I was quick to move onto joy today and very present with the students- not frozen in the fear of what one students behavior might do to my humongous plans for the day!  Everything got done and we laughed and sang in the process.
BTW, I recommend the Redistricting game for any Gov. class that is teaching  reapportionment, redistricting and gerrymandering.

A-ha:
If I want to have less stress, I need to bring less stress.

Reminder:
On Monday nights, drink Sleepytime tea.

Day 52 - I'm not exempt

Today seemed fairly normal; full of activity, teaching, quieting students, exciting students, administrative paperwork, up stairs, downstairs, across campus, library visit, lunch with colleagues, working on essays, after school shenanigans,etc. But upon driving home in reflection I started wondering about an interaction I had today with a parent and my students reactions.  So here's the scenario:
I had just started going over a decision the yearbook class and I had to make when we were interrupted by a parent visiting who had questions about the yearbook.  I invited her in, (she spoke only Spanish) and asked her to please have a seat and I would be with her in a moment after we finished this "vote"/discussion.  I noticed the students didn't want to finish the discussion and were hinting I was being rude by making the parent wait.  The parent seemed fine waiting to me and after a few minutes I sat with her, invited her to my desk and she made a deposit on the yearbook once she was clear on the price.  My students thoughts were that it was unprofessional to make her wait and I tried to explain to them that any parent who interrupts a class would probably know they might have to wait for the teacher to finish something.
But on my way home, I wondered if I would have treated that parent differently if she was English speaking and/ or white.  In my perfect view of myself I would say, "of course I wouldn't have".  But to be honest, its possible that I would have.  This is so important for me to write about, especially coming from a place of sometimes tricking myself into thinking I am above white privilege and that I do not contribute to the covert racism that keeps most oppression alive and breeding.  
Teaching where I teach, I need to be even more real with myself rather than assuming I'm in the clear.

A-ha: see above

Reminder:  

Share this with my colleagues, beyond this blog.  My students too.

Day 51 - something different happens afterschool

Students were disappointed that I could not stay after school on Friday.  I was too.  After school is where I learn the most about my students and sometimes, its not even my students I get to learn about but the friends they bring with them.  Kids laugh more easily after school and aren't afraid to ask questions or ask for help.  How can I duplicate that in all of my classes?  Maybe I am more relaxed too and easier to approach when I don't have a lesson plan or agenda I am trying to fulfill.  Whether its one kid or 20 kids, there is something different that happens after school- we get to just be together. Some of my favorite after school moments include random karaoke breakouts, teary eyed personal statement breakthroughs, and students just wanting a place to do their work.
The hardest part is kicking them out when its time for me to go home.
Or, like this past Friday, just not being available.
But I know how important my self care and care for my personal relationships are, if I am to be present and available for my students.

A-ha:  Modeling healthy relationships, self care and healthy boundaries is part of my job.

Reminder: Play more guitar after school

Day 50 - Something was right in the air

I video tape my lessons often (6-8 times a year) but I still get a little tense about the students behavior when I do it.  I guess kind of like when I have an observation, I want my kids to show their best selves and make me look good!  It is  so tiring to look through the lens of what I think someone else might think.  Ugh- I get tired just thinking about it.  Even though I know better and I know that tendency to slip into what things may "look" like, it still happens to me.  Today after getting through some more evidence collection, question generating and expectations for our academic conversation, we headed over to our Socratic Seminar room.  I was aware of my tenseness and just tried to stay focused and loving.  In the room, kids stepped up their academic professionalism and took me by surprise with their listening skills, questioning skills, ability to articulate with evidence and examples, and utilize my sentence starters.   Something was right in the air and i am stoked I got it on video!

A-HA:
I still haven't mastered enough wait time.

Reminder:
Students rise to challenges, just like we do.

Day 49 - I just have to be patient and trusting.

Collaboration takes practice and I need more of both- collaboration and practice collaborating.  Our senior project - CAP - is in its first stages and the GOV/ECON teachers met with the senior English teachers to co ordinate and cross curricular plan.  That many talents and ideas in one room can be overwhelming and exhilarating at the same time.  I found it difficult to listen to others for longer than 60 seconds without wanting to jump in and contribute more ideas.  I really need to practice just listening!  Maybe I could offer to take notes or minutes next time to keep me focused on others and afterwards I can reflect on my thoughts and contribute more effectively.  I know people only listen or hear when they are ready and in instances when everyone is trying to share their ideas all at once there is just only so much listening that can happen.  Many ideas get lost and missed.

So I am making a pledge now to specifically work on keeping quiet and listening in my next collaboration meeting, knowing full well that my ideas will always have an opportunity to be heard and built upon- I just have to be patient and trusting. 

A-ha:

The more familiar I am with the people I am collaborating with, the less I keep myself in check(the less I listen).

Reminder:

Stay in the purpose of the work--the CAP is about the students learning real world skills and finding purpose(student sample).